1. Technical Field of the Present Invention
The present invention generally relates to application software, and more specifically, to methods, systems, and computer program products that allow the user to view information in a window type environment.
2. Description of Related Art
The term computer is no longer simply being associated with a bulky device that is limited to being used with a desk and chair. In fact, current usage of the term applies to any electronic device capable of displaying information to a user.
The term has been redefined by the consumer and their insatiable appetite for the availability of information any where and any time. Consequently, a number of mobile devices (e.g. cell phones, pagers, and the like) have arisen to fill this hunger.
The individual user of these devices (both large (e.g. desktop) and small (cell phone) is often simultaneously performing multiple tasks with any number of other devices or people. The design of these devices must take into account that a user can and typically will only has a single hand free at any moment in time to operate the particular device.
To accomplish this task, most computers have incorporated a mouse type device that provides the user with the ability to use a single hand to display information. The mouse is designed so as to limit the amount of movement required by the single hand, and typically, includes multiple buttons so as to limit the interactions required from a keyboard (e.g. scroll wheels and pull sticks).
The effectiveness of the mouse device is most notable with a window type environment such as Windows XP. In such an environment, information is displayed and gathered in windows that can be of various sizes depending upon the display space, application, or particular desires of the user. Information that exceeds the physical size of the window is displayed using scroll bars to assist in the viewing. The scroll bars indicate the relative length of the document and the current position within the document.
The typical control device (mouse) includes a scroll function (e.g. scroll wheel) that provides the user with the ability to move the information within the window a predetermined distance (e.g. one text line) upon each turn or movement of the scroll wheel. Although the scroll wheel and its related functionality are helpful, they are less than adequate when attempting to read text.
This results from the fact that the reading pattern of the average user and the functionality of the scroll wheel do not match one another. Specifically, the average user does not read one line of text, scroll to the next line, and continue this pattern until they have completed reading the displayed information. Typically, the user reads the information contained within a displayed page from top to bottom, and upon reaching the bottom they attempt to scroll the window via the scroll wheel until the last line of previously read text is located at the top of the page.
Unfortunately, the movement of the text by the scroll wheel often results in the user overshooting the desired position of the line of previously read text (i.e. top of the page). In order to adjust or figure out where the last line of previously read text is now located, the user will scroll backwards and forwards until the page is positioned appropriately.
It would, therefore, be a distinct advantage to provide the user with a visual indication of the last line of text on an initially displayed page even while that page is being is scrolled. It would be further advantageous if the user had the option to automatically stop the scrolling of the text upon reaching a predetermined location.